Juniata sentinel and Republican. (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, October 09, 1895, Image 1

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    ,MgElP?aMgWWlMSSa"SlllSanSaSa
D. F. BGHWEIEB,
THE OONBTITUTION-THE UNION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OP THE LAWS.
Kdlter stad Iopr
ft 1
VOL. XLIX
MIFFLINTOWJS, JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 9. 1895.
NO. 43.
CBAPTER XVI.
A day liad passed two three nnc
Marsden had made no sign.
Nora began to hope he was wise enough
to preceive that it would not be fir hi
own happiness to insist on marrying a
girl who was so reluctant to be his wife.
After some consideration, she wrote a
sensible, dignified letter to Lady Porring
ton, rebutting her accusation and assur
ing her that, so far from wishing to mar
her brother's prosiects by holding him to
his engagement, she had earnestly beggisJ
him to set her free.
Christmas bad gone by, to Ilea's infinite
disappointment, without the presence of
her favorite, Mnrsden. There was a
pause in the little drama of their lives
This interval was first broken by a few
lines from Winton to Mrs. IKstrange, in
which he asked her to fix an hour when
he could see him, as he was in town for
a short time, and, if she adhered to her
intention of returning to Krookdale early
in January, it would be his only opxr
tunity of wishing her good-by. as he Iioimm
to complete his business and sail for India
the end of the mouth.
Nora accepted this note as notice to b
out of the way. and felt truly grateful tc
Winton for sparing her the pain of ar
encounter.
Mrs. IEstrange began to form soim
Idea of the truth. Though she liked Mark
Winton, she thought Mursden would be a
more suitable husband for Nora. He
was bright and companionable, while
Mark was older than his years, sobered
too by a life of steady work and serious
responsibility. Nora could not be so much
attracted by a man too much in earnest
for civil speeches or implied compliments,
or any of the gallant 'rickery in which
Marsden excelled who differed from and
argued with her as he would with a com
rade of his own sex, and to crown all, had
looks to lioast of beyond a good figure and
gentleman-like air.
1 Iowever, she made out very little f roo
their tete-a-tete interview.
Winton looked worn and gaunt, but
seemed very glad to see her. and to find
her alone, "lie spoke freely enough of his
own affairs, of the division he had made
of his uncle's bequest with the deceased's
grandchild, and of his own approaching
departure, of herself and her little daugh
ter, in even a kindlier tone than usual;
but not until he rose to take leave, after
refusing her invitation to dinner, did
he mention Nora. Then he asked calmly
"And Miss L'Estrange; I hope she is
well?"
"Yes; very well."
"And when does the wedding take
place ?"
"I am not quite se "
"I thought it mus fixed for the begin
nlng of February?"
"l'es; ;i.t was talked of; but we do not
quito k low yet."
"Are you pleased with the marriage?"
he asked, looking at her very searchingly.
"Certainly, I am. It is a good marriage,
from a worldly point of view; and then
Clifford Marsden is bo utterly devoted
that I think dear Nora's happiness is sure
to be his first consideration."
"It ought to be," very gravely. "Hut,
Mrs. L'Estrange, Marsden's financial po
rtion ought to be looked into carefully
before the mnrrige takes place. Mars
den of Evesleigli sounds like a grand al
liance, but he is a good deal dipped, ol
course, he may have cleared himself. Misi
L'Estrange has no gnnrdian, I believe?"
"No. Colonel L'Estrange, after mak
ing many wills, which he destroyed, final
ly died intestate; our good friend, Mr.
Barton, the Colonel's solicitor, has man
aged everything for us, and I have got
Into the habit of looking on Lord Lor
rington as an informal guardian; but he
cannot, or will not, interfere now, because
he, or rather Lady Dorrington, is so dis
pleased with the proposed marriage."
"I la! I feared so. Lady Dorrington
was, I think, anxious her brother should
secure Mrs. Huthven's fortune. This
must be a source of annoyance to Nora
I mean Miss L'Estrange who is, I sup
pose, attai-hed to Marsden; he is a sort
of fellow to please a girl's fancy." Ther
was a tinge of bitterness in his tone.
"Oh, yes, of course! Hut Nora Is no
sentimentalist, you know!"
"I do. She is something better. Well,
good-morning, Mrs. L'Estrange."
"We shall see you again, though? You
will not go without saying good-by to
N..ra. and ioor little Bea?"
Winton hesitated.
"I should like to shnke hands with Miss
J.'Ksirange once more," he said slowly.
"As to Bea. you must keep me posted up
in your own and her doings if yon con
sider me her informal guardian I shall be
pleased."
"You are very good yon always wen
good, Mark," cried Mrs. L'Estrange,
warmed out of formality. "But you ar
not going away forever! India is so
accessible now; you can come to and fro,
and "
"India is the best place for me," he In
terrupted, somewhat grimly. "There 1
have work to do: here there are no ties
to keep me! I shall come and say good-by
before I start." lie shook hands cordial'
ly and left her.
.Mrs. L'Estrange hurried upstairs to re
port proceedings to Nora, who was pre
tending to read in her own room, where
she was fond of retiring, finding the re
iraiut even of her step-mother's kindly
presence irksome In her present overtaxed
condition of mind consumed as she was
by perpetual anxiety resecting her own
position, and intolerable regret for what
she had lost by mere misapprehension, or,
worse still, the deliberate misleading.
"And Mr. Winton is to leave so soon!"
she exclaimed, growing very white, as her
step-mother ceased speaking. "Why does
he hurry away?"
"I cannot imagine! He seems anxious
to get hack to bis work, and to think there
is no place for him in England."
Nora was silent, and Mrs. L'Estrange
continued to speak, repeating Winton'
kind words, volunteering to be Bea's guar
dian. Suddenly she broke out, as if sh
bad not heard what her step-mother had
been saying:
"It is cruel of Clifford to keep me wait
ing so long so long for his decision. It
will be five days to-morrow since he left
me! And I cannot bear this horriblt
anxiety! Helen! Ought I to marry him
when I have such doubts such reluc
tance? Am I weaker than other people,
that I cannot see the right thing to do
aud do it? Would Clifford really break
his heart about me? What shall I do
Helen? Oh, what shall I do T
Khe burst into a passion of tears, which
absolutely frightened her step-mother, tt
whom she had scarcely ever even In he!
childish days displayed such stromj
motions. . -
'Iear Nora," she cried, caressing her,
"if it distresses you so dreadfully, do not
marry Mr. Marsden! Better face the dif
ficulty now than let yourself be india
solubly linked to a man you do not like-
though why you do not I cannot under
itand.
There was a prolonged silence, while
Nora's sobs subsided, and she gradually
egained her self-possession.
a
At the Duchess of Ilminster's dowet
house there was not unmixed joy on the
receipt of a carefully composed lettei
from Mrs. Kuthven, announcing ber en
gagement to Marsden.
Lady Dorrington could not make It out
She was not so carried away by her eager
ness for fresh betrothal as to lose sight
of the probable injustice to Nora, whose
proud, high-spirited letter had touched hei
and, more still, had inspired her with
hoies that the mischief was not irrepara
ble. She hastened with Mrs. Kuthven'
pistle to Lord Dorrington.
"Well, my dear," said that sapient no
bleman, when he hnd slowly perused it,
"that brother of yours Is a clever fellow,
How he manages to get rid of one wom
an and secure another in the twinkling of
an eye is beyond me altogether. Mrs.
Uuthven is wisely vague on the subject.
"Clifford's momentary engagement to
Miss L'Estrange seems to have originated
in misapprehension on all sides; and I
feel assured that she, too, will see the
wisdom of setting an unwilling fiance
Tree."
"Perhnps so; but I doubt if Clifford
ever undertook anything against his will,
unless under pressure of some tremendous
necessity; and what the necessity was
for his marrying Nora L bstrange I can'
lot see."
"Depend upon it, my lettter is at the
root of this very prudent change ot front.
returned her ladyship. "I feel anxious
nbout Nora, however. I think I had bet
ter run to town and see for myself how
matters stand. You return to Chedworth
to-morrow. I will explain to my aunt
that I am compelled to go to town the
same afternoon instead of remaining the
:ouple of days I promised.
It followed, of course, that my lady car
ried out her plans, and, having had a short
interview wth Mrs. Uuthven and found
her brother was still absent at Eves
leigli. she dispatched a telegram to Mrs.
Estrange, whom she wished to see
llone.
Mrs. L'Estrange had been out early.
having walked with Bea and her govern
ess to a music class which that young
ladv attended, and doing some shopping
n her way buck.
The dignified master of the honse bav-
tng gone to dinner, the door was opened by
the "slavery ot the estaoiisnment, ana
Mrs. L'Estrange found the telegram on
the drawing room table.
As Nora was not there, and the mes
sage boded nothing pleasant, Mrs. L'Es
trange went down-stairs at once, and
meeting her own maid in the hall, she
told her she was obliged to go out again.
In case Miss L'Estrange asked, and set
forth to keen the appointment.
The bell sounded more than once during
the sacred hour of rest and refreshment,
but the task of answering was left to the
neat little house-maid, whose lot it was to
serve more than one master.
Nora meanwhile employed herself in
her own room. She shrunk from meeting
Winton alone, and he might come any
day; so, while Helen was out she kept in
ler special stronghold.
She had been greatly disappointed that
lay. The morning post had brought her
nothing from Marsden; so, with a sinking
heart, she had set herself to compose s
letter to him.
She had written "Dear Clifford," and
sat looking at the words in a sort of de
spair as to bow she would attack her ter
rible subject, when the servant of the
bouse brought her a letter, at the sight of
which her heart stood still; the writing
was Marsden s.
"Has Mrs. L'Estrange come In?" she
isked.
"Yes'm, she is in the drawing-room."
Nora tore open the envelope and glanced
tt the contents before rushing to confide
'hem to her step-mother.
"Nora," it began "I think I see the re
ief in your eyes those sweet truthful
yes I love so well when you read these
words I give you back your promise and
let you free. There is that in you, I
know not what, which forbids me to sham
jenerosity. I give you up, because I
rnnnot help it. A tremendous necessity,
t necessity I cannot explain, compels me.
No words can express the agony of bit
terness and humiliation it costs me to re
lease you, for I love you as passionately
s ever, as I did from the first, when you
anconsciously cast a spell over me that
has been my ruin. Yet It has been all
my own fault. I do not blame yon. If I
were to write forever, I could say no
aiore. You never loved me, but I should
lot the less have insisted on yonr keeping
four promise to be my wife. Now I re
lonnce you, and hope never to sea yon
igain! You will give yourself to another,
f course I would rather know yon were
afe in your grave out of reach where
lone could touch yon. So good-by! No
ne will ever love yon so entirely, so ln
:ensely, as I do, though I curse the hour I
Irst saw you. If it be possible you should
ver regret me, I would break every law,
rrery bond, to come to yon. But this la
nadness! Yours still utterly yours.
"CLIFFORD MARSDEN."
In the first infinite relief of finding her
lelf free, Nora did not quite take In the
Serce despair of this strange letter. Her
mptilse was to rush with her great tid
jigs to Helen. She flew down stairs and
nto the drawing-room. Mrs. L'Estrange's
irm-chair was in front of the fire and
S'ora just saw, as she thought, the dark
Ine of her dress at one side, as If her feet
were on the fender.
"Oh, Helen! dear Helen! Clifford re
eases me. Thank Gou, I am free, quite
freer she cried In Joyous agitation.
She had scarce ottered the words when
a figure started up from the chair and
Winton confronted her.
Nora stood still and dumb, the open let
ter in her hand, feeling dazed and help
less in the crushing confusion which had
so suddenly overwhelmed her.
"Has Marsden then released yon at
our own request?" cried Winton, Im
petuously, and coming forward quickly,
forgetting in the supreme excitement of
the moment all conventionality; while to
Nora it seemed equally natural to answei
with an emphatic "Yes, oh, yes! Whew
is Helen? I thought she was here?"
"So did I," returned Winton. recOTering
iis self-possession and his reserve. "I
railed to to say good-by, and I trust you
will forgive my inopportune presence, my
unguarded, and I fear very presumptuous,
question. My sincere interest In In you?
welfare must be my excuse."
"You are very kind, I Oh, where Is
Helen? I mnst go and look for her." Be
fore Wilmot could atop her, had he beep
so disposed, she. had fled.
Winton gazed after her, an expression
of hope and joy gradually lighting up his
somber face. She was free by her own
desire. Life might be worth living yetl
While he stood thinking, new and glow
ing views of much over which he had
often puzzled suggesting themselves, the
respectable Watson came in.
"If you please, sir, Mrs. L'Estrange
went out again, and Miss L'Estrange does
pot know when she will return."
"Ah! well, perhaps " he hesitated.
He was dying for a few words with Nora,
but it would be bad taste to intrude upon
her now. "Perhaps," be continued, "I
may find Mrs. L'Estrange at home to
morrow. I should not like to leave with
out bidding her good-by."
He had nothing for it but to take hie
hat and depart.
Nora, greatly surprised at Helen's ab
sence, could not compose heiself to do
anything. She wandered to and fro from
room to room, sometimes sitting down-
to fall into vague reveries. She read and .
re-read Marsden's lettter; its passionate
despair sobered and dismayed her. What i
could have happened to make him give
ber up so ireely I ne was aeepiy grieveu
for him. She strove to compose a letter
to him in her mind, but could not com
mand her ideas; all she could do and she
was ashamed of the pleasure she had in
doing it was to inclose the two rings
Marsden had given her in a neat packet
and address them to the giver later ir
the evening she would write.
At last Mrs. L'Estrange returned, look
ing pale and tired.
"Oh, Helen! Where where have you
oeen?" cried Nora, when her step-mother
came into the room, now only partially
lighted by the glow of a good fire.
"You will hardly guess! I have been
with Lady Dorrington." And she pro
ceded to describe the telegram and her
interview.
"I think Lady Dorrington is terribly
if raid you are breaking your heart, Nora.
She feels sure you have renounced Mr.
Marsden in consequence of her letter,
she is therefore quite pleased with you.
But I have a wonderful piece of news.
He has absolutely engaged himself to
Mrs. Kuthven, and they are to be married
oon."
"Then that, in some way, accounts for
this letter." said Nora, handing Clifford's
letter to Mrs. L'Estrange, who read it
with surprise and regret.
Many and varied were th conjectures
of both as to what could possibly be the
mysterious necessity which inwuenced
Marsden; both coming, reluctantly, to the
conclusion that money must be the root
af the evil which was certainly Nora'
good.
(To be continued.)
THIS CLIMATE OF OURS
There I Never a Happy Medium Be
tween Hoastlntc and Freezing;,
Well, perhaps that little drop of thir
ty degrees that came between Saturday
and Sunday didn't cause a sensation.'
exclaims the New York Recorder.
Who believed that It would ever b
cold again?
I know of one misguided woman who,
with a red face and shedding perspira
tion at every pore, had staggered
through the Saturday's heat piling up
and salting down as it were the win
ter clothes, and had, with the assist
ance of a hot handmaid, carried them tc
the tiptop floor and put them all away
In an Inaccessible place.
Then she crawled down, had the
grates taken out of the rooms and sent
down cellar; had the Iron frames pui
in their places, and planned a little out
of-town trip with hubby for Sunday.
But when the cold awakening came
on that morning this was what greeted
her as she arose, shivering, from he!
bed:
"Say, what have yon done with mj
thick tweed suit?"
"Why, dearie. It's packed with cam
ohor up In the attic"
"For heaven's sake, don't tell dm
thatl Well, I must put on my wlntei
underwear again, then."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, but that's all pack
ed away up there, too."
"Oh, of course. That's Just like
woman!"
"Why, George, you told me yoursell
yesterday that we wouldn't have anj
more cold weatherr
"How could I have said such a thing.
I'm not Dunn! Have a fire made in the
dining room, then."
"But the grates are all packed away,
too!"
"Well, Jumping Jingo!"
"There's only the fire In the kitchen
range."
"Well, you don't expect me to go In
there and sit in the dark, do you? Light
the gas."
So the gas was lit, and kept lit pretty
nearly all day, but It wasn't really com
fortable, for gas does smell gassy, you
know. And how they wished for a cli
mate where there was a medium state
between linen dusters and fur over
coats.
The Charm,
In years agone when he had not
The flve-and-twenty cents.
He watched the daily ball game through
A knothole In the fence.
Ho sits within the grand stand now
And marvels much to know
Why he sees not half of what he saw
Through the knothole long ago.
Detroit Tribune.
Judge not thy associate until thou
hast been placed in his position.
Conquer a vice to-day and you save
your descendants untold misery.
The good which bloodshed could not
gain your peaceful zeal shall find.
A man who has no poor kin thinks
it would be a pleasure to help them.
The sufficiency of my merit is to
know that my merit is not sufficient.
There are people who say they would
like to do good who don't smile once a
week.
Some men seem to have been made
oat of dust that bad gravel in it.
An evil deed will run a thousand
miles; a good action does not look out
of the door.
A wise man reflects before he speaks,
a fool speaks and then reflects on what
he has uttered.
Be not the fourth friend of him who
bad three before and lost them. Old
friends are best.
He who increases the endearments
of life increases at the same time the
errors of death.
It is a consolation when another man
is In trouble to think that it will prove
a valuable lesson to him.
BE?. EG. TflLPSL
rhe Brooklyn Divine's Sunday
Sermon.
Subject
'Gideon's Battle With the
MIdiaiiltes."
Tbtt; "And the three companions bleii
the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and
held the lamps in their left hands and the
trumpets in their right hands to blow withal
And they stood every man in his p".wM
round about the camp, and all the host rai
anil cried and fled." Judges vii., 20, 21.
That is the strangest battle ever fought.
God had told Oideon to go down and thrust
the Midianites. but his army is too large, foi
the glory mnst be given to Goci and not tc
man. And so proclamation is made that all
those of the troops who are cowardly And
want to go home may go, and 22,000 ol
tbem scampered away, leaving only 10.00C
men. But God says the army is toe
large yet, and so he orders these 10.0041
remaining to march down through a
stream and command Oideon to notice in
what manner these men drink of the watei
as they pass through it. If they got down
on all fours and drink, then they are to be
pronounced lazy and Incompetent for he
campaign, but if, in parsing through th
BtreHm, they scoop up the water in the pain:
of their hand and drink ami pass on they an
to he the men selei-ted for the battle.
Well, the 10,000 men marched down in the
stream, and the most of them come down on
all fours and plunge their mouths like ahorse
or an ox into the water and drink, but there
are 300 men who, instead ot stooping, jus!
clip the palm of their hands in the waterand
bring it to their lips, "lapping it as a dog
lapjieth." Those 300 brisk, rapid, en
thusiasttc men are chosen for the
campaign. They are each to take a trumpet
in the right hand, and a pitcher in the left
hand, and a lamp inside the pitcher, and
then at a given signal they are to blow the
trumpets, and throw down the pitchers, and
hold up the lamps. So it was done.
It is night. I see a great host of Midianitfti
sound asleep in the valley of JezreeL Oid
eon comes up with his 3O0 picked men. and
when everything Is ready the signal is given
and they blow trie trumpets, and they throw
down the pitchers, and hold up the lamps,
and the great host of Midianites, waking out
of a sound sleep, take the crash of the
crockery and the glare of the lamps for the
ooming on of an overwhelming foe, and the3
run and cut theme elves to pieces and horri
bly perish.
The lessons of this subject are very spir
ited and impressive. This seemingly value
less lump of quartz has the pure gold in it.
The smallest dewdrop on the meadow at
night has a star sleeping in its bosom, and
the most insignificant passage of Scripture
has in it a shining truth. God's mint coins
no small change.
I learn in the first plae from this subject
the lawfulness of Christian strategem. You
know very well that the greatest victories
ever gained by Washington or Napoleon
were gained through the fact that they came
when ami in a way tbey were not expected
sometimes falling back to draw out the foe,
sometimes breaking out from ambush, some
times, crossing a river on unheard of rafts,
all the time keeping the opposing forces in
wonderment as to what would be done next.
You all know what strategy is in military
affairs'. Now I think it is high time we had
this art sanctified and spiritualized. In the
church, when we are about to make a Chris
tian assault, we send word to the opposing
force when we expect to come, how many
troops we have, and how many round j 1
shot, and whether we will come with artil
lery, infantry or cavalry, and of course
we are defeated. There are thousands ol
men who might be surprised into the king
dom of Ood. We need more tact and ingen
uity in Christian work. It is in spiritual
affairs as in military, that success depemls
in attacking that part of the castie which ia
not armed and intrenched.
For instance, here is a man all armed or
the doctrine ot election. All his troops ol
argument and prejudice are at that particu
lar gate. You may batter away at that side
of the castle for fifty years, and you will not
take it, but jnst wheel your troops to the side
gate of the heart's affections, and in five
minutes you capture him. I never knew
a man to be saved through a brilliant ar
gumet. You cannot hook men Into the
kingdom of God by the horns ot a dilemma.
There is no grace in syllogisms. Here is a
man armed on the subject of perseverance
of the saints. He does not believe in it.
Attack him at that point, and he will perse
vere to the very last in not be
lieving it. Here is a man armed
on the subject of baptism. He believes
in sprinkling or immersion. All your dis
cussion of ecclesiastical hydropathy will not
change him. I remember when I was a boy
that with other boys I went into the river on
a summer day to bathe, and we used to dash
water on each other, but never got any re
sult except that our eyes were blinded, and
all this splashing of water between Baptists
and Pedobaptists never results in anything
but the blurring of the spiritual eyesight. In
other words, you can never capture a mail's
soul at the point at which he is especially
intrenched. But there Is in every roun'a
heart a bolt that can be easily shoved. A
little child four years old may touch that
bolt, and it will spring back, and the dooi
will swing open, and Christ will come in.
I think that the finest of all the fine arts ii
the art of doing good, and yet this art is the
least cultured. We have in the kingdom ol
Ood to-day enough troops to conquer the
whole earth for Christ if we only had skillful
manceuvering. I would rather have the 80Q
lamps and pitc hers of Christian strategem
than 100,000 drawn swords of literary and
Mclesiastioal combat.
I learn from this subject also that a small
part of the army of Ood will have to do all
the hard fighting. Gideon's army was origin
ally composed of 82,000 men. but they went
off until there were only 10,000 left, and that
was subtracted from until there were only
300. It is the same in all ages of the Chris
tian church. A few men have to do the hard
fighting. Take a membership of 1000, and
you generally find that fifty people do the
work. Take a membership of 5C0, and you
generally find that ten people do the work.
There are scores of churches where two or
:bree people do the work.
We mourn that there is so much useless
lumber in the mountains of Lebanon. 1
think of the 10,000,000 membership of the
Christian eburch to-day if 6,000,000 of the
names were off the books the church would
be stronger. You know that the more
towards ind drones there are in any army
the weaker it is. I would rather have the
300 picked men ot Gideon than the 32,000
unsifted host. The many Christians there are
standing in the way of all progress! I think
it is the duty of the church of Ood to ride
over them, and the quicker it does it the
quicker it does its duty.
Do not worry, O Christian, if you have to
do more than your share of the work. You
had better thank God that He has called you
to be one of the picked men rather than to
belong to the host of stragglers. Would not
vou rather be one of the 300 that fight than
the 22,000 that run? I suppose those cow
ardly Oideonites who went off congratu
lated themselves. They said: "We got rid
of all that fighting, did not weV How
lucky we have ueem That battie costs
us nothing at all." But they got none
of the spoils of the victory. After the battle
the 300 men went down aud took the wealth
of the Midianites, and out of the cups and
platters of their enemies they feasted. And
the time will come, my dear brethren,
when the hosts of darkness will be routed,
and Christ will say to His troops: "Well
done, my brave men. Go up and take the
spoils. Be more than conquerors forever."
And in that day all deserters will be shot.
Again, 1 learn from this subject that God's
way is different from man's, but is always
the best way. If we had the planning of that
battle, we would have taken those 32,000
men that originally belonged to the army,
and we wonld have drilled them and
marched tbem up and down by the day and
week and month, and we would have had
them equipped with swords or spears.accord.
ins; to the way of arming in those times,
and then we would have marched them
down in solid column upon the foe.
But that is not the way. Ood depletes the
army, and takes away all their weapons.and
gives them a lamp, and a pitoher, and a
trumpet, and tells them to go down and
drive oat ike AUdi&nite, I uddom some
wiseacres were there who said: "That is not
military tactics. The idea of 800 men un
armed conquering such a great host of Mid
ianites!" It was the best way. What sword,
spear or cannon ever accomplished Buch a
victory as the lamp, pitcher and trumpet?
God's way is different from man's way,
but it is always best. Take, for instance,
the composition of the Bible. If we had bad
the writing of the Bible, we would have said:
"Let one man write it. It you have twenty
or thirty men to write a poem, or make a
statute, or write a history, or make an argu
ment, there will be flaws and oontraiic
lions." But Ood says: "Let not one man do
It but forty men shall do it" And they
did, differing enough to showthere had been
ao collusion between them, but not oontra
iictlng each other on any Important point,
while they all wrote from their own stand
point and temperament, so that the matter
ot fact man has his Moses, the romantic na
ture his Ezekiel, the epigrammatic, his Solo
mon, the warrior his Joshua, the sailor his
Tonnb, the loving his John, the logician his
Paul. Instead of this Bible, which now
can lift in my hand instead of the
Bible the child can carry to Sunday-school,
instead of the little Bible the sailor can put
in his jacket when he goes to see, if it had
been left to then to write it would have been
thousand volumes, judging from th
amount of ecclesiastical controversy which
has arisen. God's way is different from
man's, but it is best. Infinitely best.
So it is in regard to the Christian's lire.
If we had had the p'anning of a Christian's
Jfe. we would have said: "Let him have
sighty years of sunshine, a fine house to liva
n. Let his surroundings all be agreeable.
Let him have sound health. Let no chill
mlver through his limits, no pain ache his
brow or trouble shadow his soul." I
Mijoy the prosperity of others so much I
would let every man have as much
money as he wants and rosea for his
children's cheeks and fountains of gladness
glancing in their large round eyes. But
that is not God's way. It seems as if man
must be cut, hit and pounded just in propor
tion as he is useful. His child falls from a
third story window and has its life dashed
out. His most confident investment
tumbles him into bankruptcy. His friends,
on whom he depended, aid the natural
force of gravitation in taking him down.
His life is a Bull Run defeat. Instead of
32.000 advantages he has onlv 10,000. Aye,
only 300 aye, none at all. How many good
people there are at their wits' end about
their livelihood, about their reputation? But
they will find out it is the best way after
iwhile. Ood will show them that He de
pletes their advantages just for the samo
Reason He depleted the army of Gideon
;hat they may be induced to throw them
lelves on His mercy.
A grapevine says in- the early spring'
'How glad I am to get through the winter!
shall have no more trouble now. Summer
weather will come, and the garden will be
very beautiful." But the gardener comes
jnd cuts the vine here and there with his
knite. The twigs begin to fall, and the
grapevine ories out- "Murder! What are
you cutting me for?" "Ah," says the garden
er, "I don't mean to kill you. If I did
not do this, you would be the laughing
stock of all the other vines before the season
is over." Months go on, and one day the
gardener eomes underthe trellis, where great
Musters of grapes hang, and the grape vine
lays: "Thank you, sir. You could not have
lone anything so kind as to have cut me
with that knife." "Whom the Lord loveth
Be chasteneth." No pruning, no grapes; n)
grinding mill, no flour; no battle, no vic
tory; no cross, no orown.
So Ood's way, in the redemption of the
world, is different from ours. If we had our
way, we would have had Jesus stand in the
door ot heaven and beckon the Nations up
to light, or we would have had angels flying
iround the earth proclaiming the unsearch
able riches of Christ. Why is it that the cause
goes on so slowly? Why is it that the chains
stay on when God oould knock them
DAT? Why do thrones of despotism stand
rhen God could so easily demolish them?
It is His way in order that all generations,
may co-operate and that all men may know
tbey cannot do the work themselves. Just
In proportion as these pyramids of sin go
up in height will they come down in ghast
liuess ot ruin.
I learn from this subject that the ovorthron
)f God's enemies will be sudden and terrific.
There is the army of the Midianites down in
he valley of jezreel. I suppose their
mighty men are dreaming of victory. Mount
Oil boa never stood sentinel for so large a
host. The spears and the shields of the
Midianites gleam in the moonlight and
jtlauce on the eye of the Israelites, who
hover like a battle of eagles, ready to swoop
from the cliff. Sleep on, O army ot the
Midianites! With the night to bide tbem
and the mountain to guard them and strong
arms to defend them, let no slumbering foe
man dream of disaster. Peace to the cap
:ains and the spearmen.
Crash go the pitchers! Up flare the lamDs!
To the mountains! Fly, fly! Troop running
against troop, thousands trampling upon
:nousands. Hark to the scream and groan
ot the routed foe, with the Lord God Al
mighty after them! How sudden the onset!
How wild the consternation! How utter the
defeat 1 I do not care so much what is
against me if God is not. You want a better
sword or carbine than I have ever seen to go
sat and fight against the Lord Omnipotent.
3ive me Ood for my ally, and you may have
all the battlements and battalions.
I saw the defrauder in his splendid house.
It seemed as if he had conquered God as he
stood amid the blaze of chandeliers and pier
mirrors. In the diamonds of the wardrobe
t saw the tears of the widows whom he had
robbed and in the snowy satins the pallor ot
the white cheeked orphans whom he bad
wronged. The blood of the oppressed
glowed in the deep crimson of the im
ported chair. The music trembled with
the sorrow of unrequited toil. But the
wave of mirth dashed higher on reefs of
:oral aud pearl. The days and the nights
went merrily. No sick child dared pull that
silver doorbell. No beggar dared sit on that
marble step. No voice of prayer floated
amid that tapestry. No shadow of a judgment
day darkened that fresco. Notearof human
sympathy dropped upon that upholstery.
Pomp strutted the hall, and dissipation
filled her cup, and all seemed safe as the
Midianites in the valley of JezreeL But God
;ame. Calamity smote the rioney market.
The partridge left its agga unhatuhed. Crash
went all the porcelain pitchers! Ruin, rout,
dismay ami woe in the valley of Jezreel!
Alas for those who fight against Ood I Only
two sides. Man immortal, which side are
you on? Woman immortal, which side are
you on? Do yon belong to the 30 that are
going to win the day or to the great host ot
Midianites asleep in the valley, only to be
roused up in consternation and ruin? Sud
denly the golden bowl of life will be broken
and the trumpet blown that will startle our
soul into eternity. The day of the Lord
cometh as a thief in the night and as
the God armed Israelites upon the sleeping
foe. Ha! Canst thou pluck up courage for
the day when the trumpet which hath never
been blown shall speak the roll call of the
dead, and the earth, dashing against a lost
meteor, have its mountains scattered to the
stars and oceans emptied in the air? Oh,
then, what will become of you? What will
ecome of me?
If those Midianites bad only given up
:heir swords the day before the disaster, ail
would have been well, and if you will now
mrrender the sins with which you have been
Jghting against God yon will be safe. Oh,
make peace with Him now, through Jesus
Christ the Lor.ll With the oiutoh of a drown
ing man seize the cross. Ob. surrender!
Surrender! Christ, with his hand on his
Merced side, asks you to.
Sixty-four Paperless Counties.
There are sixty-four counties in Texas in
which no papers are published.
Reindeer as a rule are not very
strong they can carry only forty or
fifty pounds on their backs and draw
from 950 to 300 pounds.
A band of thieves frequent the un
derground sewers in Naples, Italy, and
bore their way into shops in order to
rob tills and carry off goods,
Trunk wires to connect London
by telephone with Edinburgh, Glasgow
and Dublin, have jnst been put by the
English post office department.
Mrs. Frank Behr. of Boauet
Penn., gave birth to a child that weighs
bnt two pounds and two ounces. The
child is folly developed and doing
weu.
ME STOLE MILK.
faok Avoided Itottoa for Terj
IyOUK Time
The milkman who supplied Bloom
lold, N. J., families living in the neigh
borhood of Lawrence and Barlow
streets. Is happier than he was a week
go. Bis customers suspected then
that ho waa giving tbem short measure.
Although he put In an extra gill as an
svldunce of good faith, there was still
a deficiency in many of the tin pails that
were set out on the front stoops at
night to await his coining In the early
morning.
The police were asked to find out wlu
was rushing the lacteal growler. They
tried to do so, but they failed. A few
mornings ago the culprit was discov
ered. The render might surmise by the
appearance of his mouth and tongue,
conspicuous In the picture, that he has
capacity for milk In large quantities.
lie Is a big Newfoundland dog, and
he belongs to Mrs. Moffatt, who lives
In Barlow street. Mrs. Moffatt waa
looking out of the window early In the
morning, when she saw Jack hiding be
hind a dumb of bushes and with a most
Interesting expression watching the
milkman filling the tin pall on the
stoop of the Kev. Mr. Winan's house.
When the milkman left Jack trotted
over to the stoop, picked up the pall
with his teeth, carried It a short dis
tance, set it down, took off the lid, and
JACK.
drank nearly all the milk. Then Be put
on the lid and carried the pail back to
the stoop. Mrs. Moffatt told the clergy
man's family about It, and soon the
neighbors and tho milkman all knew
about the milk drinker.
A NEW LAWN-MOWER.
fho Inventor Claim) It Has Points
of Advantage Over Old 6tyle.
The lawn-mower here Illustrated was
invented by a Pennsylvanian, and the
lcinntiflc American thus describes it;
The knives are driven by crank and
pitman connection with the ground
wheels, tho driving mechanician! belo.
located entirely within the outer face
Df the frame and there being no pro
lections to collect the cut grass. The
ixle carrying the ground wheels Is
lournaled in depressions of the 6lde or
!heek pieces of the frame, the wheels
being cupped on their outer frame.
The wheels are loosely mounted, and
ratchet wheels on the axle adjacent to
the hubs are adapted for engagement
by a dog on each wheel, the dogs turn
ing the axle when the mower Is pushed
ihead and slipping over the ratchets
SKW LHV MOWER.
when iho mower is drawn backward,
tb cutting mecbanisin being then inop
erative. In each of the side pieces is a
horiiontal depression ot well having
near its center an opening.
The shaft of the cutter !s Jourraled lr
the Inner walls of the wells, 9 ml ou the
shaft are spiders which cany the spiral
cutting knives, extending from the In
ner face of one side piece to the inner
face of the other side piece, the knives
being thus protected from obstacles at
the sides of the machine and adapted to
'nit a swath of nearly Its full width.
A NEW EYE-SHADE.
It Mar B Keadily and Conveniently
Attached to tbe 8pecta.de Frerac.
The accompanying illustration shows
I device recently Invented by a man
ut West, by which the Inconvenlenco
f the ordinary eyeshade Is done away
irith.
The shade Is made of light, flexible
material, and Is curved to tit lie fore-
VEW XTK-SHA'BB.
tead of the wearer. It may b readily
ittaohed to the frame of the spectacles
ly means of wires provided for that
sirpose.
An Adventnroua Fellow.
A young man named Bennett has p'.it
lis btcyole to profitable use In the Aus
tralian gold fields by establishing with
It postal rout between Coolgardle,
the canter of the mining district, and
Dundee, which Is two hundred aud
ighty miles away. Strapped on the
wheel Is a small letter-box. In which
he carries letters between the two
towns for a shilling a piece and tele
grams for fire shilMngs, making one
round trip a week. A revolver, a
iharp knife, and a water bottle con
Wtea the rttat of the outfit
Tor the life of me I cannot see why
aeople think It so comical a tb'ng for
i maa to get married,' complained the
'onng man who was on his bridal tour.
'Nor me, neither," remarked the paa
enger with the white whiskers. "An'
. may state furder that I been marrt
waive years," Cincinnati Enquirer.
Some people who pass In their eheeks
HETUWN FROM ELBA.
ne
Want Wild When Napoleoa'
Came Back Again.
Philip met the truth at Lyons. The;
air was full of rumors that speedily bet
bame facts. With less than a thousand
of his grenadiers his "brave growl
era," as he sometimes called them
the Emperor had landed in France.
The army had gone over to him, wild
with Joy. The Empire would be pro
claimed once more. France would bf
free of the Bourbons.
Philip found Lyons in a ferment. Na
poleon waa almost at Its gates. The
Bourbon prince who commanded the
troops In that Important city ordered
bis soldiers to the walls to repel ot
capture "the bandit from Elba." But
what was a Bourbon prince beforv
"our Emperor?"
The tidings of the Imperial adven
turer came thick and fast. Napoleon
had landed near Cannes; he had
marched over the mountains to Dijon;
he had first fronted the white stand
ard with his tricolor at I-afTrey; with
bared breast he had faced the soldlen
of the King In the Vale of Beaumont
bidding them welcome or kill him; and
behold! the soldiers of the King had
fallen on their knees before him, cried
"Long live the Emperor!" and hailed
him as their "father." ne had kissed
the restored eagles at Vlzllle; he bad
entered Grenoble, through the gate
burst open by the peasants wlthoul
and the revolted soldiers within; es
corted by mountaineers and farmert
singing the Marseilles Hymn, he ad
vanced from Grenoble to Lyons with
his little "army of deliverance" already
grown from one thousand to six thou
sand soldiers waving the trlcolored
cockade. Off hurries the BourboE
prince In terror of his life; down go th
barricades, wrecked by the very sol
diers who had piled them up; "Long
live the Emperorl" shout garrison and
citizens; and to the accompaniment ol
twenty thousand welcoming voices Na
oleon enters Lyons. St Nicholas.
The Child's Mind.
Child Instruction should In the first
Instance proceed upon the principle
that the young mind Is an Incalculable
possibility, and that schooling should
be of a character to carry that possi
bility Just as far as may be toward its
realization, writes the Rev. Charles H.
Parkhurst, D. D., in the Ladies' Home
Journal. The child's mind Is as thick
ly etudded with Interrogation points
as the sky Is with stars. The primary
genius of a child Is the genius for ask
ing questions. There is a natural affin
ity between the mind and the truth.
Inqulsltiveness Is as natural to Intelli
gence as hunger is to the stomach. One
of the most common effects of current
schooling Is to destroy that affinity. In
tellectual stuffing in the nursery or Id
the schoolroom Is worse and more wick
ed than gluttony In the dining-room.
Children who commence going to
school when they are 6 and continue at
It until they are 18 hate knowledge a
good deal worse than they do sin, and if
they had the courage of their Impuls
es would assassinate their instructors
and practice nihilism on their school
rooms and text-books. The distinct
symptoms of nihilism are discernible
In every schoolroom that has been used
for educational purposes more than six
months. This intellectual demoraliza
tion of the schoolroom will pursue Its
present course till teachers are select
ed who have enough of the genius of
Froebel to understand that the mental
constitution of the child is Itself de
scriptive of the course to be followed In
its development, and that the proper
office of school commissioners and
school committees Is to help the teach
er carry out the Intentions ot nature
rather than to compel him to embap
rass and controvert those Intentions.
can't Convict Slave Dealers.
The Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children will not attempt to
prosecute the Chinese who sold little
Ah Soo Into slavery, although there Is
a dry ordinance which forbids the
traffic in human flesh, and makes it
punishable as a misdemeanor.
"It Is utterly usehss to attempt iij
prosecution in this case," said Secre
tary MeComp yesterday. "Our Inform
ant and all our witnesses are Chinese,
and they have told us that If called on
to go into court and testify they must
disclaim all knowledge of the matter.
This Is because they fear assassination
at the hands of the highbinders, and
as a matter of fact we recognize that
In case they did testify, their lives
would not be worth an Instant's pur
shase." Special Officer Frank Holbrook holds
similar views. Some years ago he was
Instrumental In rescuing thirty-two
white children from Chinatown slav
ery. One woman was convicted of Fell
ing her child Into slavery and was
given six months In jail, but in that
case there was a white witness who
knew the circumstances. San Frnn
tlsco Call.
Good. Greenbacks In Bad Company.
Charles M. Burks, one of the city
policemen, hit a streak of luck a few
days ago that was worth to him f 120.
Be found that much money In a box
of old Confederate bills that his father
had owned before his death. The old
gentleman was quite well-to-do, and
lived on a fine farm In Troup County,
Be had a box full of Confederate money
that waa on hand when the war closed.
Be laid the box away, considering Its
contents worthless. He died In 1878,
and the box was left to his children.
Some time ago Mr. Burks sister sent
the box to him from her home down In
Troup County. In counting over the;
money he came across several "bills
that looked like good money to hi
:o hi mi
of thi
don or
Mr. Burks went to J. 0. Dayton
State Savings Bank for an opinion
the money. Mr. Dayton told Mi
Burks that he thought the bills wen
good, and that be wonld cash tbem II
they were not In such had company
Mr. Dayton proposed that the bills bi
tent to the treasury at Washington, tt
which Mr. Burks consented. The
were sent last Friday, and Wednesday
Mr. Dayton received from the treasury
a letter Inclosing a check for $120. M
Barks still ha 944.000 la Confederal
money la that old box, which he woul
be glad to exchange fee checks A4
(MJ tew
CULTIVATION OF RAMIE.
a Recent Invention Will Make Its
Production I'rofltuble.
The agitation of the subject of culti
ratlon of ramie, a member of the nettle
family, In the Southern States has re
vived a new impetus from the inven
tion, by a New Orleans man, of a decor
ticating machine, which promises to
revolutionize the methods of preparing
the fiber of this plant for use In the
manufacture of cloth as radically as the
I0P OF WHITE BAMIE, SHOWING SEEPS.
methods of separating cotton liber were
revolutionized by Whitney's great in
vention of the cotton gin in ante-bellum
days. It is reported that practical tests
of the new machine, the invention of S.
B. Allison, have already demonstrated
its effectiveness, and tho newspapers
are paying great attention to all cur
rent developments In the case.
Bore are some of the products made
of ramlo: Ropes and cables that ex
ceed the strength of manllla hemp;
table cloths that excel tho gloss of Irish
linen; lace thnt equals the delicacy of
cotton and surpasses its durability;
plushes that rival the luster of sealskin;
velvets, damasks and brocades whose
exquisite finish embarrasses a further
advancement in textile art. Itarato is
combined with cotton, linen, wool nnd
silk, and It always adds to the mixed
BAMIE BOWS, SIX FEET 11 Hi II.
texture an element of greater useful
ness and beauty. In handkerchiefs,
cravats and hosiery. In cambrics, cam
lets and shawls, in alpacas, carpets and
draperies, it Is, with tlieTossihle excep
tion of silk, superior to the fibers with
which it Is Interwoven.
The decorticating machines. If ns suc
cessful as is claimed, solve the last re
maining problem of the remunerative
culture and manufacture into fabrics
of ramie.
How to Carry Money.
A man is safe from pickpockets 11
fie c irries his money in Ins truuserj
liockets says an experienced detectr
ive. A hip pocket i simply a delu
sion The breast pocket is no safer
when the coat is !uitned, le -.iu-a
the uia who is aft' r the money lo.
cated there lias only to slit the tioih
with a sharp little knilc-biude sei in
a riim. tarry your money in yom
right trousers pocket and you wilj
never have it picked.
As for jewelry, when in a rrowd
twist your watch chain around yout
left thumb or iml'-x tinker, ana don't
let go, no matter what tui pens, Vou
are lucky if you wear a diamond p'n
foi a year, no matter what safety at
tachment it has. .some chap will
even cut oil a portion of your neck
tie to get it. ileware of rushes
people ijuietly knocking against you,
etc. IT a man fa Is airaiiist you. el
bow hira olf or step aside, in a crowd
let them knock jour hat olT or smash
it over v-oiir eyes, but dou't throw uo
your bands.
"What a Wreck"'
At a dinner-party at Co wood. Canon
f.owles, then past sixty, was ititr-j-fluced
to au elderly lady, with whom
he sat chattini: pleasantly about
tliinn-! of the day. How cs was per
lectly oblivious that this was the very
lady to whom be had been engaged
to be married when he had very little
Income besides his curacy. The lady,
of course, was perTec'y well aware
that she was talking to her quondam
lover; but ber married name had in
no way enlightened tim as to her
personality. After a time she said,
having touched upon old days: "But,
Mr. Howies, dou't you remember me?"
'No, ma'am, 1 don't" Then she
added, smiling: "Vou used to know
me and pretend to be very fond of
me. I was Miss " "Oh, what
a wreck!" was the spontaneous ex
c amation of the poet. Happily the
lady enjoyed the joke Immensely, for
she was a remarkably han dsome wo
man for ber ae, and bis burst ol
burpri-e was really only a compliment
to the extreme beauty of her joutu.
The Paris exposition of 1900 is to
cost 20,0(10,000, and will cover an area
of nearly 2000 acres.
German East Africa's future is as
sured. Alluvial gold and diamonds
have been found in Usambara,
At Helensville, Wis., recently a
number of cows attacked a turtle.
basking in the sun and ki Ued it.
Amos Holmes, Uuandilla, N. Y.,
ninety four years old, claims to be the
oldest bicycle rider in 2ew York
State.
For scientific purposes it is pro
posed to fly ten giant kites to the
height of two miles daring every pos
sible phase of weather.
ill iku
'i!
I
! --4
If
; 4
' i
!
n-.e.